The Six
The Six is the Mother Religion for the majority of faiths in Marin. Almost all of the religions followed by Man are just one of the countless sects that have branched off of The Six, so to say that all of them can be outlined here would be a grave miscalculation. If this document was to lay out ALL of the sects, the God(s) they worship, and their specific cultures, the list could fill a book. So instead, this document focuses on the primary ideas that surround the ‘The Six’, the religion is primarily followed by the South of Marin and Northern Amoroth. Firstly, it’s important to mention that the term “Six” is a misnomer. There are actually SEVEN major Gods in the religion, as they are as follows: Mae the Producer, Goddess of Light, Order and Faith. ' ' Ren the Founder, God of Darkness, Ambition and Independence. ' ' Ajaxx the Scholar, Goddess of Water, Wisdom and Judgement. ' ' Iverk the Adventurer, God of Lightning, Courage and Honor. ' ' Hoeg the Warrior, God of Fire, Strength and Merit. ' ' Amorus the High, God of Wind, Piety and Kindness. Dentarg the Shrewd, God of Cold, Intelligence and Perception. But with seven Gods, the question still remains: “Why does perhaps the world’s largest religion have a name that does not fit it’s contents?” The answer is one of controversy. The answer and the details surrounding this answer have caused more Schisms and Holy Wars between warring factions than any other of it’s type. The point of contention lies between the Gods Mae and Ren, and their respective relationship. Speculations have been raised as to their actual relationship When the Six was originally practiced, in what many assume to be the Northern reaches of Amoroth, it was just another religion, passed around by any number of indigenous Tribesmen. It was not uncommon for a group to worship more than one God, as long as they were generally related to one another. And so, when the Seven Major Gods revealed themselves in their Ethereal Form, it was generally accepted that they were Brothers and Sisters. But it became increasingly clear that both the Founder and the Producer were not like the other Gods. While elements like water, lightning, fire, wind, and cold could be devastating, nothing was as all enveloping as the Light and the Darkness. And just as the Elemental Gods could provide clarity, or courage, or strength, their powers could never be as potent as Order and Ambition. These were the Modes of Thought that drove man, and would lead The Six into the religion the World of Marin knows today. The Modes can be split up into the two groups mentioned above, Mae and Ren. The Order Mode was created in the same vein as many of the other faiths that are popular in Marin. Regular, God-fearing citizens that search from strict rituals and holy texts to guide them. The followers of this Mode believe that the Gods, especially Mae, can see and record everything you do, and take it into account when you pass on, into the afterlife. The better you are, the better you follow the directions of the holy texts and teachings of the gatherings, the better received you’ll be after you die. The Ambition Mode was created for those who rejected the average tenets of religion. These people have no Order, no guiding text or rules to help them reach their goals. These people, instead, call on the Gods in times of trouble, sacrifice a part of themselves in exchange for their assistance. They act as tributes to the Gods, claiming things and completing large tasks for their Patron. They seek to gain fame and fortune, all the while helping the influence of their respective Patron God grow. Of course, these two separate Modes originally caused many schisms in the religion. Followers would argue back and forth, scholars would break off to form their own separate religion, Mae’s followers would be called sheep, Ren’s anarchists. But eventually, a hesitant coexistence was reached. ' ' Now, many separate religions, all with different traditions and ideologies combine under the same seven same principle Gods. They are the Six.